Cap for containers



Dec. 17, 1935.

vR. c. WOLFE I 2,024,495

CAP FOR CONTAINERS Filed March 27, 1934 INVENTQR QM/mrd 0. WlfeATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 17, 1935 2,024,495 Vom non CONTAINERS Richard C. Wolfe,New York, N. Y. 'Applicationivrarchem 1934, serial No. 717,542 s claims.`(o1. 22o-59) This inventionrelates to caps or closures, pref- Y erablymetallic inrcharacter, adapted to be employed in conjunction with typesof containers such, for instance, as the usual and conventional tincans.

The principal object of the invention is the production of a novelcapofsimple construction Whoh, may be easily applied to a container andautomatically secured thereto in locking position by pressure appliedagainst the cap in question.

A further object of the invention is the proygluclon.Y .of arcontainercap having the character-Y istics above described and so constructed astoV enable it to be automatically broughtrinto unlookngposition forremoving the same from the Container upon furtherV application ofpressure thereto, after pressure has. been exerted there-.against'suicient to bring it into locking position.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating a practical embodiment of theinvention: Y Y 1 isa plan View of aY container cap showing, thepreferredembodiment of the invention.

Fig.,2 is a section taken through the cap on the line 2 2; of Fig. 1showing it applied in the opening in the toprwallof any form ofcontainer, a fragmentary portion only of the container being. shown. Y

Eig, 3 is asimilar View showing the cap in locked, position.

Fig. 4 .is asimilar View showing the cap after ithas been brought intounlocked position while `Still in engagement within the opening in thetop Wall.. 0f theA container.

Fig. V5.' isa view similar to Fig. 2` of the cap (the container,however, not being shown), the cap in. this instance having a rubber orYother resilient gasket applied. thereto. Y

Alig. 6 is a section taken through a modified iolm. oilcap showing itbefore its application within the opening of the top wall of the con-Vtailler, and

1 'i g, 7j ,is also section of the cap showing it applied; Withintheopening of the container but in a position such as to render it readilyremovable.

VReferring in detail to the several iigures of the drawing;

.l indicates thehead of the capy which is cone- Vhead being, flattenedas at 2.

YVextending annular skirt or flange l of the cap will Wardly extendingannular flange or skirt l integral therewith which terminates in anoutwardly extending annular bead 5 having a free edge or rlange 6.V Thelower side of the skirt or ange l is preferably provided throughout itscircumfer- 5l ence and extending from its edges with the inwardlyextending corrugations forming crimping or knurling l.

The body of the container or receptacle with which the cap is to beapplied in order to close 1o the same is indicated at 8. Said receptaclehas secured thereto in any manner an upper wall 9 channeled as at l 0,the inner side of said channel having a bead Il which terminates in adownwardly extending annular flange I2 which forms 1 5,v

the truncated cone so as to bend or expand said head until it assumes,or substantially assumes, the horizontal position shown in Fig. 3. When'so bent or expanded the beads or ribs 3 expand 30 and flatten to anextent as do the corrugations 'l which in turn forces the peripherallower edge of the annular skirt or flange Il to expand outwardlya sothat it will engage beneath the lower edge of the annular flange E2 ofthe head of the container/as illustrated in Fig. 3 and thus preventremoval of the cap.

It will be understood that in many cases the locking and sealingposition of the cap may be effected even though it does not assume thehorizontal position shown in Fig. 3, it being necessary merely that themetal be flattened and the ribs 3 andV corrugations l, or either ofthem, be expanded to an extent sufficient to forcethe lowercircumferential edge of the head of the cap beneath the 45 lower edge ofthe flange l2 of theupper wall of the container It will be furtherunderstood that it is not necessary to provide the container with anupper wall as such, it being necessary merely in some cases thatit beprovided with a bead or other projection at or adjacent its upper edgebeneath which the cap may engage when in locking position. Y

After thecap has been expanded into locking OI Sealing position, inorder to remove the same, 55

against preferably at the truncated or central portion thereof so thatit will assume the position shown in Fig. 4 and it will then become aninverted truncated cone. Such pressure, as is obvious, has the effect ofcontracting the beads or ribs 3 and corrugations 4 into their originalposition which in consequence contracts the lower circumferential edgeof the cap permitting the cap to be Withdrawn from the opening in theupper wall 9 of the container or receptacle.

For exerting pressure against the cap to expand it into locking orsealing position or vto contract it into unlocking position, as has beenhereinbefore described I may either apply the pressure manually or mayemploy a suitable tool which is illustrated in Fig.4, or any other formof tool or object may be employed to tapor push the cap downwardly. Theto'ol illustrated cornprises a somewhat flattened rod I3 having a handleI4 on one end thereof and a hook I5 on the other end thereof. The loweredge of said handle is provided with notches I6 and carries apressure-exerting arm or device I'I looped at its upper end as at I8 forreceiving the handle. The inner lower portion of said loop is providedwith a lug I9 therein adapted to enter any desired notch I6 so that therelative position of the arm I'I with respect to the rod I3 may bevaried depending on the diameter of the cap. When in use, the hook I5engages beneath the free edge or ange 6 of the cap and the lower end ofthe arm I 1 engages against the truncated or flattened portion 2 of thecap. As is manifest, pressure exerted against the handle I4 causes thelower end of the arm I'I to exert downward pressure against the cap.

In Fig. 5 the free edge of flange of the cap which is indicated at 6flares downwardly to a certain degree so as to form a pocket for thereception of a rubber or other compressible gasket 20,

It is important that the metal of the cap be tempered to such a degreeof hardness or softness as to give it sufficient pliancy to permit it tobe expanded or contracted in the manner hereinbefore described.

In the modification shown in Figs. 6 and '7, the upper wall of thecontainer as such is dispensed with and the upper circumferential edgeof the container is turned over to form a bead 20 forming the opening inthe container. The metal of the cap is tempered to a degree which makesit appreciably more resilient or springy than the metal of the capdescribed in the preferred form o'f the invention and the lower edge ofthe cap is provided with an outwardly extending annular bulge or bead 2lof a diameter normally greater than the opening in the container asshown in Fig. 6. To seal the cap within said opening, pressure isexerted downwardly thereagainst which contracts or presses the bulge orbead 2I inwardly until it clears the bead 20' of the containerwhereupon, because of its inherent spring or resilientA characteristic,it will again automatically expand into its original position and thuslock itself underneath the bead 2B'. To remove said cap from its sealingand locking position within the opening of the head of the container,pressure is again applied downwardly against -said cap to cause the beador bulge 2| to again contract and at the same time permit the cap to bewithdrawn from the opening. VWhen in posifurther pressure downwardly isexerted therey in this modication the ribs 3 are shown extendingdownwardly instead of upwardly as in the preferred form of theinvention.

Various modications may be resorted to without departing from the spiritof the invention as 5 set forth in the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. Incombination with a container provided with aprojection therein ator adjacent its upper edge, a removable and deformable metallic cap 10adapted to vbe inserted within said container and provided with a lowerperipheral edge adapted to be expanded laterally and to engage beneathsaid projection upon the application of pressure exerted against saidcap and to be contracted l5 into normal position upon the furtherapplication of pressure thereagainst td cause contraction of saidperipheral edge and thereby permit removal of the cap from thecontainer.

2. In combination with a container provided 20 with an opening and adepending part,V a metallic, removable and expandable cap adapted toenter said opening and to have a portion thereo'f expanded beneath theedge of said part upon the g application of pressure against said cap inorder 2'5 to seal said container, said expanded portion of said capbeing also adapted to be contracted to permit removal of the cap fromthe container upon the application of further pressure against said cap.

3. In combination with va container provided with a depending iian'geforming an opening, a Vcap having a plurality of ribs therein and acircumferential edge, said ribs being adapted to be expanded wherebysaid edge will engage beneath 35 said depending flange upon theapplication of pressure against said cap to seal said container and saidribs being adapted to be contracted automatically upon the applicationof further i pressure against said cap to permit said cap to 40 bewithdrawn from the opening in said container.

4. In combination with a container provided with a depending flangeforming an opening and a cone-shaped cap having a plurality of ribs ,-f.therein extending radially from the circumfer- 45' ential edge of saidcap toward the center thereof, said ribs being adapted to be expandedwhereby said edge will engage beneath said depending ange upon theapplication of pressure to said ncap to seal said container and saidribs being 50 adapted to be contracted automatically upon theapplication of further pressure against said cap to flex the bottom ofsaid cap downwardly and thereby permit said cap to be withdrawn from theopening in said container.

5. In combination with a container having a depending annular flangeforming an opening,

a cone-shaped cap adapted for insertion within said opening and providedwith a skirt having an outwardly extending annular flange, said skirtbeing crimped adjacent its circumferential edge whereby said skirt willbe expanded laterally beneath said ange upon the application of pressureagainst said cap. Y

6. In combination with a co-ntainer provided with a depending flangeforming an opening, a metallic cap comprising a truncated cone andhaving a plurality of radially extending ribs therein and provided witha crimped skirt adapted to engage said depending flange, a portion ofthe 0 metal of said cap being adapted tov be Vexpanded laterally toengage beneath said depending flange upon the application of pressureagainst said cap .to seal said container.

opening therein, a spring, removable metallic cap adapted to be insertedin said opening and provided with a skirt having a bulge or beadthereon, said bulge or bead having a diameter normally in excess of thediameter off the opening and being adapted to be contracted uponapplication of pressure to said cap to permit the insertion cf the saidcap in the aforesaid opening Wherebythe said bulge or bead Willautomatically expand to lock against the container to| seall the samewhen said cap is completely inserted Within said opening.

8. In combination with a container havingra depending annular angeforming an opening, a spring, removable metallic cap adapted forinsertion Within said opening and having a skirt pro/vided with aplurality of ribs'therein, a bulge or bead on said skirt adapted to becontracted whereby said bulge or bead Will engage beneath the lower edgeof said flange when pressure is applied against said cap and said bulgeor bead being also adapted to be contracted to permit removal of saidcap from said opening lupon 10 the application of further pressure uponsaid cap.

RICHARD c. WOLFE.

